Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Argyllshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1983. The constituency was named Argyll from 1950. The constituency was replaced in 1983 with Argyll and Bute.

Argyllshire
Former County constituency
for the House of Commons
Subdivisions of ScotlandArgyllshire
17081983
SeatsOne
Replaced byArgyll and Bute and Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) using the first-past-the-post voting system.

Creation

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The British parliamentary constituency was created in 1708 following the Acts of Union 1707 and replaced the former Parliament of Scotland shire constituency of Argyllshire .[1][2][3][4][5]

Local government areas

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Until Scottish counties were abolished, for most purposes, in 1975, the constituency represented the county of Argyll, except that constituency boundaries may not have coincided at all times with county boundaries, and any parliamentary burgh within the county would have been outside the constituency.

In 1975 most of the county plus the Isle of Bute became the Argyll district of the Strathclyde region. A northern area of the county became part of the Highland region. Until 1975 the Isle of Bute had been part of the county of Bute.

In 1996, 13 years after the abolition of the Argyll constituency and creation of the Argyll and Bute constituency, the Argyll district, plus a portion of the Dumbarton district of Strathclyde, became the Argyll and Bute unitary council area.

Members of Parliament

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Argyllshire

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ElectionMember [6]Party
1708Sir James Campbell, 2nd Baronet
1736 by-electionCharles Campbell
1742 by-electionJames Stuart-Mackenzie
1747Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell
1754Dugald Campbell
1764 by-electionLord William Campbell
1766 by-electionRobert Campbell
1772 by-electionAdam Livingston
1780Lord Frederick Campbell
1799 by-electionLord John CampbellWhig
1822 by-electionWalter Frederick CampbellWhig[7]
1832James Henry CallanderWhig[7]
1835Walter Frederick CampbellWhig[7]
1841Alexander CampbellConservative[7]
1843 by-electionDuncan McNeillConservative
1851 by-electionSir Archibald Campbell, 3rd BaronetConservative
1857Alexander Struthers FinlayWhig[8]
1859Liberal
1868 by-electionMarquess of LorneLiberal
1878 by-electionLord Colin CampbellLiberal
1885Donald Horne MacfarlaneCrofters' Party
1886John MalcolmUnionist
1892Sir Donald Horne MacfarlaneLiberal
1895Donald NicolUnionist Party
1903 by-electionJohn AinsworthLiberal
1918Sir William SutherlandCoalition Liberal
1922National Liberal
1918Liberal
1924Frederick Alexander MacquistenUnionist
1940 by-electionSir Duncan McCallumUnionist
1950constituency renamed

Argyll

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ElectionMember [6]Party
1950Sir Duncan McCallumUnionist
1958 (b)Michael NobleUnionist
Feb 1974Iain MacCormickScottish National Party
1979John MackayConservative
1983constituency abolished

Election results

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Argyll election results


Decades:

Elections in the 1830s

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General election 1830: Argyllshire[7][9]
PartyCandidateVotes%
WhigWalter Frederick CampbellUnopposed
Registered electors114
Whig hold
General election 1831: Argyllshire[7][9]
PartyCandidateVotes%
WhigWalter Frederick CampbellUnopposed
Whig hold
General election 1832: Argyllshire[7][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
WhigJames Henry CallanderUnopposed
Registered electors995
Whig hold
General election 1835: Argyllshire[7][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
WhigWalter Frederick CampbellUnopposed
Registered electors1,084
Whig hold
General election 1837: Argyllshire[7][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%
WhigWalter Frederick Campbell 712 60.6
ConservativeAlexander Campbell46239.4
Majority25021.2
Turnout1,17470.5
Registered electors1,666
Whig hold

Elections in the 1840s

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General election 1841: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeAlexander CampbellUnopposed
Registered electors1,600
Conservative gain from Whig

Campbell resigned by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, causing a by-election.

By-election, 8 September 1843: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeDuncan McNeillUnopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1847: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeDuncan McNeillUnopposed
Registered electors1,889
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1850s

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McNeill resigned after being appointed a Senator of the College of Justice, becoming Lord Colonsay and causing a by-election.

By-election, 6 June 1851: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeArchibald CampbellUnopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1852: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeArchibald CampbellUnopposed
Registered electors2,156
Conservative hold
General election 1857: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
WhigAlexander Struthers FinlayUnopposed
Registered electors2,256
Whig gain from Conservative
General election 1859: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalAlexander Struthers FinlayUnopposed
Registered electors2,294
Liberal hold

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Elections in the 1860s

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General election 1865: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalAlexander Struthers FinlayUnopposed
Registered electors1,914
Liberal hold

Finlay resigned, causing a by-election.

By-election, 3 Mar 1868: Argyllshire[10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalJohn CampbellUnopposed
Liberal hold
General election 1868: Argyllshire[11][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalJohn CampbellUnopposed
Registered electors2,870
Liberal hold

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Elections in the 1870s

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General election 1874: Argyllshire [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalJohn CampbellUnopposed
Registered electors3,018
Liberal hold

Campbell resigned after being appointed Governor General of Canada.

Lord Colin Campbell
By-election, 31 Aug 1878: Argyllshire [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalColin Campbell 1,462 56.9 N/A
ConservativeJohn Malcolm1,10743.1New
Majority35513.8N/A
Turnout2,56982.0N/A
Registered electors3,133
Liberal holdSwingN/A

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Elections in the 1880s

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General election 1880: Argyllshire [12][10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalColin Campbell 1,457 55.0 N/A
ConservativeJohn Malcolm1,19145.0N/A
Majority26610.0N/A
Turnout2,64880.3N/A
Registered electors3,299
Liberal holdSwingN/A
General election 1885: Argyllshire[13][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Liberal (Crofters)Donald Horne McFarlane 3,340 48.6 New
Independent LiberalWilliam Mackinnon[15]2,85641.6New
LiberalJohn Stuart McCaig6709.8−45.2
Majority4847.0N/A
Turnout6,86668.6−11.7
Registered electors10,011
Independent Liberal gain from LiberalSwingN/A
General election 1886: Argyllshire [13][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeJohn Malcolm 3,658 54.6 New
Liberal (Crofters)Donald Horne McFarlane3,04545.4−3.2
Majority6139.2N/A
Turnout6,70367.0−1.6
Registered electors10,011
Conservative gain from Independent LiberalSwingN/A

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Elections in the 1890s

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General election 1892: Argyllshire[16][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal (Crofters)Donald Horne Macfarlane 3,666 50.6 +5.2
ConservativeJohn Malcolm3,58649.4−5.2
Majority801.2N/A
Turnout7,25273.4+6.4
Registered electors9,874
Liberal gain from ConservativeSwing+5.2
General election 1895: Argyllshire[17][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeDonald Nicol 3,970 50.9 +1.5
LiberalDonald Horne Macfarlane3,83549.1−1.5
Majority1351.8N/A
Turnout7,80574.5+1.1
Registered electors10,471
Conservative gain from LiberalSwing+1.5

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Elections in the 1900s

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General election 1900: Argyllshire[17][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeDonald Nicol 3,834 54.2 +3.3
LiberalJohn Ainsworth3,23445.8−3.3
Majority6008.4+6.6
Turnout7,06867.9−6.6
Registered electors10,405
Conservative holdSwing+3.3
John Ainsworth
1903 Argyllshire by-election[18][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalJohn Ainsworth 4,326 61.2 +15.4
ConservativeC. Stewart2,74038.8−15.4
Majority1,58622.4N/A
Turnout7,06666.4−1.5
Registered electors10,643
Liberal gain from ConservativeSwing+15.4
General election 1906: Argyllshire[19][14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalJohn Ainsworth 4,507 59.9 +14.1
ConservativeGeorge Hutchison3,01240.1−14.1
Majority1,49519.8N/A
Turnout7,51967.0−0.9
Registered electors11,216
Liberal gain from ConservativeSwing+14.1

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Elections in the 1910s

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General election January 1910: Argyllshire [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalJohn Ainsworth 4,443 55.1 −4.8
ConservativeGeorge Hutchison3,61744.9+4.8
Majority82610.2−9.6
Turnout8,06073.1+6.1
Registered electors11,025
Liberal holdSwing−4.8
General election December 1910: Argyllshire [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalJohn Ainsworth 4,280 51.5 −3.6
ConservativeGeorge Hutchison4,02348.5+3.6
Majority2573.0−7.2
Turnout8,30371.8−1.3
Registered electors11,572
Liberal holdSwing−3.6

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

General election 1918: Argyllshire [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
CLiberalWilliam Sutherland11,97081.4+29.9
Highland Land LeagueLauchlin MacNeill Weir2,73318.6New
Majority9,23762.8+59.8
Turnout14,70352.0−29.8
Liberal holdSwingN/A
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

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Elections in the 1920s

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Sir W. Sutherland
1920 Argyll by-election[23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
CLiberalWilliam Sutherland10,18764.9-16.5
LabourMalcolm MacCallum5,49835.1New
Majority4,68929.8-33.0
Turnout15,68550.2-1.8
Liberal holdSwing
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.
General election 1922: Argyllshire [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National LiberalWilliam Sutherland 9,848 58.8 N/A
LiberalHenry Anderson Watt6,89741.2-40.2
Majority2,59115.6−12.2
Turnout16,74551.8+1.6
National Liberal holdSwing−6.1
General election 1923: Argyllshire [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
LiberalWilliam Sutherland 9,020 52.7 −6.1
UnionistFrederick Alexander Macquisten8,10047.3New
Majority9205.4N/A
Turnout17,12053.3+1.5
Liberal gain from National LiberalSwingN/A
General election 1924: Argyllshire[25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistFrederick Alexander Macquisten 9,240 46.2 −1.1
LiberalWilliam Sutherland6,21131.1−21.6
LabourI.H. MacIver4,53222.7New
Majority3,02915.1+9.7
Turnout19,98362.7+9.4
Unionist holdSwing
General election 1929: Argyllshire[26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistFrederick Alexander Macquisten 11,108 44.1 −2.1
LiberalBasil Murray8,08932.1+1.0
LabourJohn L. Kinloch6,00123.8+1.1
Majority3,01912.0-3.1
Turnout25,19862.70.0
Unionist holdSwing−1.6

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Elections in the 1930s

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General election 1931: Argyllshire[27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistFrederick Alexander Macquisten Unopposed N/A N/A
Unionist holdSwingN/A
General election 1935: Argyllshire [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistFrederick Alexander Macquisten 13,260 53.6 N/A
LiberalBasil Murray11,48646.4New
Majority1,7747.2N/A
Turnout24,74656.6N/A
Unionist holdSwingN/A

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Elections in the 1940s

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1940 Argyllshire by-election[29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistDuncan McCallum 12,317 62.8 +9.2
SNPWilliam Power7,30837.2New
Majority5,00925.5+17.3
Turnout19,62547.9-8.7
Unionist holdSwing
General election 1945: Argyllshire
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistDuncan McCallum 15,791 56.6 +3.0
LabourA. MacNeill Weir8,88931.9New
LiberalJohn Bannerman3,22811.6−34.8
Majority6,90224.7+17.5
Turnout27,90863.9+7.3
Unionist holdSwing

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Elections in the 1950s

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General election 1950: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistDuncan McCallum 19,259 66.5 +9.9
LabourI. Nicholson9,21531.8−0.1
Scottish Home RuleM S McP Holt4901.7New
Majority10,04434.7+10.0
Turnout28,96475.1+11.2
Unionist holdSwing
General election 1951: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistDuncan McCallum 21,191 68.1 +1.6
LabourRobert M. Young9,92531.9+0.1
Majority11,26636.2+1.5
Turnout28,21067.1−8.0
Unionist holdSwing
General election 1955: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistDuncan McCallum 19,119 67.8 −0.3
LabourRobert M. Young9,09132.2+0.3
Majority10,02835.6-0.6
Turnout28,21066.9−0.2
Unionist holdSwing−0.3
1958 Argyll by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistMichael Noble 12,541 46.8 −21.0
LiberalWilliam D. McKean7,37527.5New
LabourRobert M. Young6,88425.7−6.5
Majority5,16619.3-16.3
Turnout26,800
Unionist holdSwing
General election 1959: Argyll [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistMichael Noble 16,599 58.4 −9.4
LabourD. Nisbet7,35625.9−6.3
LiberalGerard Noel4,46915.7New
Majority9,24332.5-3.1
Turnout28,42471.0+4.1
Unionist holdSwing

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Elections in the 1960s

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General election 1964: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UnionistMichael Noble 13,277 47.2 −11.2
LabourDuncan L. MacMillan8,12028.9+3.0
LiberalJohn MacKay6,70723.9+8.2
Majority5,15718.4-14.1
Turnout28,10470.3−0.7
Unionist holdSwing
General election 1966: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Noble 12,178 43.2 −4.0
LabourJohn McFadden8,48630.1+1.2
LiberalJohn MacKay7,51226.7+2.8
Majority3,69213.1-5.3
Turnout28,17672.3+2.0
Conservative holdSwing

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Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1970: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeMichael Noble 13,521 44.8 +1.6
SNPIain MacCormick9,03929.9New
LabourJohn McFadden7,63325.3−4.8
Majority4,48214.9+1.8
Turnout30,19373.9+1.6
Conservative holdSwing
General election February 1974: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
SNPIain MacCormick 15,646 48.9 +19.0
ConservativePeter Craft Hutchison12,35838.6−6.2
LabourM.J.N. MacGregor4,02712.6−12.7
Majority3,28810.3N/A
Turnout32,03177.3+3.4
SNP gain from ConservativeSwing+12.6
General election October 1974: Argyll [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
SNPIain MacCormick 14,967 49.7 +0.8
ConservativeJohn MacKay11,03636.7−1.9
LabourM.J.N. MacGregor4,10313.6+1.0
Majority3,93113.0+1.7
Turnout30,10672.0−5.3
SNP holdSwing+1.4
General election 1979: Argyll
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
ConservativeJohn MacKay 12,191 36.8 +0.1
SNPIain MacCormick10,54531.8−17.9
LabourM.J.N. MacGregor5,28316.0+2.4
LiberalRay Michie5,11315.4New
Majority1,6465.0N/A
Turnout33,13276.1+4.1
Conservative gain from SNPSwing+9.0

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1690–1715). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1715–1754). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1754–1790). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1790–1820). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Argyllshire". History of Parliament Online (1820–1832). Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. ^ a b Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "A" (part 2)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Smith, Henry Stooks (1842). The Register of Parliamentary Contested Elections (Second ed.). Simpkin, Marshall & Company. p. 196.
  8. ^ "Argyllshire". Caledonian Mercury. p. 4. Retrieved 5 September 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ a b Fisher, David R. "Argyllshire". The History of Parliament. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832-1885 (e-book) (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
  11. ^ Debrett's House of Commons, 1870
  12. ^ The Times,29 April 1880
  13. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1889
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  15. ^ "The General Election". Glasgow Herald. 9 October 1885. pp. 9–10.
  16. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1893
  17. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901
  18. ^ The Times, 29 August 1903
  19. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1907
  20. ^ a b Debrett's House of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1916
  21. ^ Edinburgh Evening News 19 Sep 1914
  22. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1920
  23. ^ a b British parliamentary election results 1918-1949, FWS Craig
  24. ^ The Times, 11 December 1923
  25. ^ Oliver & Boyd's Edinburgh Almanac, 1927
  26. ^ The Times, 3 June 1929
  27. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1934
  28. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1939
  29. ^ Whitaker's Almanack, 1944
  30. ^ Whitaker's Almanack 1963
  31. ^ Whitaker's Almanack 1977